Valve-operating mechanism.



No. 674,!85. Patented May l4, l90l.

F. W. ERICKSON. v

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM (Application filed Nov. 16, 1900.)

(No Model.)

llllll lllll INV NTOR.

BY n p ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT Enron.

FREDERICK W. ERIOKSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE-OPERATING M ECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674.135. dated May 14,1901.

Application filed November 16, 1900. Serial No. 36.755. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. ERICK- SON, residing at Boston, in thecounty of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainImprovements in Valve-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification. 4

In Patent No. 649,572, dated May 15,1900, granted to me, I have shownelectromagnetic means for operating one or more valves for the admissionof gases or fluids under pressure into one or more motors for thepurpose of quickly operating theswitches controlling powerful electricalcurrents in one or more circuits employed in power-stations, theaters,and other places where such currents are manipulated by switches whichare frequently operated. I

The invention about to be described relates to purely mechanical meansfor operating such valves as are referred to instead ofelectromechanical means, which mechanical means consists of themechanism which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention, Figures 1 and 3 aresectional views of the said mechanical means. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of a detached part. Fig. 4 is a plan View, and Fig. 5 an end view,of the said means.

B represents a shaft secured in bearings D D, which are fastened to anysuitable base or support H by bolts. is a lever or handle G, heldthereto by a setscrew p, and f is a keyway cut into the shaft. Betweenthe bearings D, supported upon the shaft, are the operating devices A AA, each of which consists of a sleeve .9 upon the shaft having a hollowextension m, provided at its end with a screw-thread, over which isscrewed the perforated cap a.

b is a handle secured to a rod c,which passes through the perforated capa into the extension mand has integral therewith near its end the diskd, which fits loosely in the said extension, and the end itself isformed into the square key (2, adapted to enter the key wayfin theshaftB, and so shown in Fig. 3, but as withdrawn therefrom in Fig. 1.

o is a spiral spring, one end bearing upon the inner end of the cap aand the other end At one end of the shaft u pon the face of the disk (Z.The outer end of the cap a has cut therein the vertical depressions k oneach side of the perforation,

and longitudinally on each side of said perforation are the slots Z Z,extending through the cap. (More clearlyshownin-Fig2.) The rod chas ahole drilled crosswise therethrough, in which is inserted the pin t', soas to extend out on each side of the rod, as shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. lthe handle b and rod care rep resented as pulled out and the endsof thepins 71 as resting in the depressions k k, and in this position thespring 0 is compressed and the key e withdrawn from the keywayf andturned one quarterway around, and while the key is thus retracted thedevice A may be turned up, as indicated by the arrow.

Attached to the sleeve 3 of each device A is a short arm g, pivoted at hto a lever F, which may be of any length, which lever at its oppositeend It is pivoted to the lever E, attached to the movable part of thevalve C, in which are the passages marked in said patout as o and p, bymeans of which compressed fluid is caused to pass from a reservoirmarked A to cylinders marked F and F and the exhaust is permitted toescape by a pipe marked R, all in said patent. Therefore if the device Ais moved upward the valve is turned onequarter-way around and fluid fromthe res ervoir passes to cylinder F and the cylinder F is exhausted, andwhen the device is turned to the position indicated in Fig. 1 the fluidpasses to cylinder F and the cylinder F is exhausted.

By reference to said patent it will be seen that when the compressedfluid passes to cylinder F the electric-power circuit is opened, andwhen the fluid passes to cylinder F the circuit is closed. A

It frequently happens, as referred to in said patent, that a pluralityof circuits are to be opened or closed simultaneously, and therefore toeffect this result a plurality of valves must simultaneously be openedor closed, and in the present invention means are provided for thussimultaneously opening a plurality of valves.

Fig. 4 shows a gang of devices A, each of which is adapted to operate avalve 0 and is supplied with levers g, F, and E for that purpose, and incase it is desired to operate two or more valves simultaneously thehandle 1') and rod 0 of each device is turned one-quarter around ontheir centers, and the pins 7; in each rod will rise out of thedepressions 7c, in which they rest, and slip into the slots Z l. Thekeyse are also at the same time turned around, and when the handle b isreleased the spring 0 forces the pins 2' through the slots and the key 6into the keywayf in the shaft B, and then the devices A are looked tothe shaft B. Now when the lever G is swung up or down, as the case maybe, all of the de vicesA move with the shaft, and consequently all oftheir Valves are turned at the same time, with the result that all ofthe switches referred to are simultaneously operated.

The devices A are arranged in gangs, as seen in Fig. 4, are placed uponan electric switchboard, and the valves (with the reservoir and themotors) are in a basement, and the levers F are made long enough to makeconnection between them.

If desired, the lever G may be employed to operate a single device A, asdescribed, and,

in fact, this is sometimes done.

I claim as my invention 1. In a mechanical apparatus for operating avalve, the combination of a shaft supported upon a base in bearings, theshaft being provided with a handle or lever, with a device supportedupon said shaft, provided with means for locking therewith and forunlocking therefrom,the said device being connected operatively with thevalve, as set forth.

2. In a mechanical apparatus for operating a valve the combination of ashaft supported upon a base in bearings, the shaft being provided with ahandle or lever; with a device supported upon said shaft and adapted tobe free thereon or to rotate therewith, provided with spring-actuatedmeans for looking with the said shaft and with means for beingpositively held unlocked from said shaft, the said device beingconnected operatively with the valve, as set forth.

3. In a mechanical apparatus for operating a valve, the combination of ashaft supported upon a base in bearings, the shaft being provided with ahandle or lever, and having a keyway therein; with a device supportedupon said shaft, and adapted to be free thereon or to rotate therewith,provided with spring-actuated means for looking with said keyway, andwith means for being positively held unlocked from said keyway, the saiddevice being connected operatively with the said valve, as set forth.

4. In a mechanical apparatus for operating valves, simultaneously thecombination of a shaft supported upon a base in bearings, the shaftbeing provided with a handle or lever; with a plurality of devicessupported upon said shaft each provided with means for looking therewithand for unlocking therefrom; each device being operatively connectedwith a valve, as set forth.

5. In a mechanical apparatus for operating valves simultaneously, thecombination of a shaft supported upon a base in bearings, the shaftbeing provided with a handle or lever, and having a keyway therein, witha plurality of devices supported upon said shaft each adapted to be freethereon or to rotate therewith, provided with spring-actuated means forlooking with said keyway, and with means for being positively heldunlocked from said keyway each of the said devices being connectedoperatively with a valve, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of November, 1900.

FREDERICK W. ERIOKSON.

